Latest Natural Disasters Headlines
All the headlines from our Natural Disasters Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Aon Benfield’s Impact Forecasting Releases Updated European Windstorm Model
Mar 5 2014 // Impact Forecasting, the catastrophe model development center of excellence at Aon Benfield, has launched its new European windstorm model. The model, which has been in development for the last three years, “offers an...
University Of Nevada Earthquake Lab Now World’s 2nd Biggest
Mar 4 2014 // There’s a whole lot of shakin’ going on at the University of Nevada, Reno. UNR’s seismic-simulation facility became the largest in the United States and second largest in the world this week with an...
Alabama Churches Destroyed by Tornado in 2011 Reopen Their Doors
Mar 4 2014 // Two Alberta churches that were destroyed by the tornado that decimated that section of the city on April 27, 2011, have reopened their doors after being displaced for nearly three years. “The fact that this is home...
Oklahoma Congressman’s Proposal Would Extend Lead Time for Tornado Warnings
Mar 3 2014 // An Oklahoma congressman has proposed legislation that would make the protection of people and property a priority for federal weather forecasters and extend the lead time for tornado warnings. Oklahoma Insurance...
Texas Seeks Comments on Rule Extending Time to File Windstorm Claims
Feb 28 2014 // The Texas Department of Insurance is seeking informal comments on a draft rule outlining how a policyholder with the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association may request additional time for filing a claim with TWIA. Insurance...
What Might Terrorists Do Next?
Feb 24 2014 // The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks created an atmosphere of anxiety and uncertainty. No one knew how many more large-scale attacks were in the pipeline. Might more Mohammad Attas already be in the country making the...
Arkansas Earthquakes Spawn Lawsuit
Feb 24 2014 // Fourteen families in central Arkansas have filed a lawsuit in connection with a series of earthquakes in Faulkner County that prompted the state in 2011 to ban the use of four natural-gas drilling disposal wells in a large...
Oklahoma, Texas Had Costliest Natural Disasters in 2013: Hartwig
Feb 24 2014 // The Oklahoma tornadoes of May 2013 not only caused significant loss of life but also contributed to its designation last year as the costliest state for natural disaster related insurance payouts, according to the...
Arkansas Earthquakes Spawn Lawsuit Against Drilling Companies
Feb 17 2014 // Fourteen families in central Arkansas have filed a lawsuit in connection with a series of earthquakes in Faulkner County that prompted the state in 2011 to ban the use of four natural-gas drilling disposal wells in a large...
Moore, Joplin Mayors: Majority of Tornado-Stricken Homes Being Rebuilt
Feb 12 2014 // Mayors from two communities hit by deadly EF5 tornadoes in recent years say more than three-quarters of residents who were displaced have rebuilt their homes or intend to do so. It’s been almost three years since the...
Oklahoma, Texas Had Costliest Natural Disasters in 2013: Hartwig
Feb 11 2014 // The Oklahoma tornadoes of May 2013 not only caused significant loss of life but also contributed to its designation last year as the costliest state for natural disaster related insurance payouts, according to the...
Early California Wildfires Risk To Homes And Vineyards
Feb 11 2014 // California’s worst drought in decades is feeding what may become a devastating wildfire season, one that is starting about five months early. Extremely dry conditions have sparked 487 wildfires so far in 2014,...
Louisiana Hospital Adds Screens as Protection Against Hurricane Winds
Feb 10 2014 // West Jefferson Medical Center in Louisiana’s Jefferson Parish is working on what hospital officials describe as a hurricane-hardening project to secure its windows. New Orleans CityBusiness reports the work is part...
Louisiana’s Jefferson Parish Found Negligent in Hurricane Katrina Flood Case
Feb 10 2014 // A jury has found Jefferson Parish government negligent in the way it drafted and enacted a plan that evacuated drainage pump operators on the eve of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall in Louisiana but ruled the parish was...
The report indicated 80 Terrorism and Political Risk
Feb 10 2014 // The world is a risky place for business travelers but it might be a little safer when it comes to terrorism and political violence risk at least in some countries. According to the recently released Aon Risk Solutions 2014...
National Tornado Summit Focused on Catastrophe Preparedness, Response
Feb 5 2014 // The third annual National Tornado Summit being held Feb. 10 and 11 in Oklahoma City will bring together insurance industry professionals, emergency managers, policymakers and weather experts. Oklahoma Insurance...
Oklahoma Insurance Department Hosting Tornado Survivor Claims, Tax Forum
Feb 5 2014 // Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak is hosting a consumer assistance event to help tornado survivors with their insurance claims and inform them of important tax information, including possible deductions, the...
Mothers of Tornado Victims Sue Oklahoma Governor over School Safety Records
Feb 5 2014 // The mothers of two Moore schoolchildren who were killed in last year’s tornado have filed a lawsuit accusing Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin of violating the state’s open records law. The lawsuit was filed in...
PERILS Estimates Windstorm Dirk Insured Losses at $371 Million
Feb 3 2014 // PERILS, the independent Zurich-based organization providing industry-wide catastrophe insurance data, announced that its initial insured property loss estimate for windstorm Dirk, which affected the UK and France from...
Arkansas Receives More than $700K for Tornado Recovery
Jan 30 2014 // The U.S. Labor Department has given $702,741 to help Arkansas recover from tornadoes and severe storms that hit the state last May and June. The agency said the National Emergency Grant is being given to the Arkansas...
